Value for Money

Annabelle Ewing:
To ask the Advocate-General, pursuant to her answer of 19 March 2002, Official Report, column 181W, on value for money, what specific measures she has put in place to provide for efficient operation and a contribution towards securing better value for money. [45782]

The Advocate-General:
My office, like the rest of the Scotland Office, has been in existence for less than three years and, in developing suitable working systems, officials have sought to ensure that the work is done in a way which makes the most efficient use of staff and other resources.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Government Agencies and Quangos

Andrew George:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 876W, what assessment he has made of (a) the total number of Government agencies and quangos operating in each of the regions and (b) their annual budgets. [42260]

Mr. Leslie:
In respect of (a), I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on Wednesday 13 March 2002, Official Report, column 1070W.

In respect of (b), information on the total gross expenditure of individual non-departmental public bodies, and information on the funding of this, is set out in the annual publication "Public Bodies", copies of which can be found in the Libraries of the House. Information on annual budgets of executive agencies is set out in each Agency's Annual Report and Accounts.

Secondments

Dr. Tonge:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many members of staff were employed by the Cabinet office on secondment from non-Governmental organisations in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.[45235]

Rebo

Mr. Leslie:
The number of secondees employed in the Cabinet Office from non-governmental organisations for the period 1 April 1999 to date are as follows:

Period

Number of Staff

1 April 199931 March 2000

41

1 April 200031 March 2001

37

1 April 2001 to date

35

Note: This data only includes Governnment Offices for the Regions for 200102 as they joined the Cabinet Office in June 2001.

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people employed by his Department under the New Deal for Young People in each of the last four years have subsequently (a) found unsubsidised employment for more than 13 weeks and (b) returned to jobseekers' allowance or other benefits. [45079]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State:
Cabinet Office.

Three people employed by the Cabinet Office, initially under the New Deal for Young People (one in 1998 and two in 2000), have subsequently been employed by the Cabinet Office on permanent contracts following fair and open competition. We do not hold information on people employed under the scheme who have not left the Department.

11 Apr 2002 : Column 550W

Cabinet Offices Agencies and Government Offices of the Regions

(i) Government Car and Despatch Agency

No staff employed by the GCDA under the New Deal arrangements have subsequently been employed by the GCDA on permanent contracts. GCDA do not hold information on people employed under the scheme who have now left the Department.

(ii) Central Office of Information

COI have not employed anyone under the New Deal for Young People, However, the Department has employed one person under the New Deal for Lone Parents who was subsequently employed by the Department on a permanent contract.

(iii) Government Offices for the Regions

No staff employed by the GO under the New Deal arrangements have subsequently been employed by the Government Offices on permanent contracts. GO do not hold information on people employed under the scheme who have now left the Department.

New Deal

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people have been employed by his Department in each of the last three years under (a) the New Deal for Young People, (b) the New Deal for the Over 50s and (c) the New Deal for Lone Parents, and at what cost, listed by category, to public funds. [44927]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: Cabinet Office
Since April 1999 11 people have been employed by the Cabinet Office under the New Deal arrangements and are categorised as follows:

Young People

Lone Parents

Over 50's

1999

4





2000

4

1



2001

2





2002







The average cost per placement was £17,833 (which is made up of basic salary, Employers National Insurance and Pensions Contributions).

Cabinet Office Agencies and Government Offices of the Regions

(i) Government Car and Despatch Agency

The Government Car and Despatch Agency has employed 1 person under the New Deal for Young People for one week in 2001.

The cost of this placement was £220 inclusive of Employers National Insurance and Pensions Contributions.

(ii) Central Office of Information

Since the New Deal began in COI, the Department has employed one person. This person was employed under the New Deal for Lone Parents.

The cost of this placement was £7,320 (which is made up of part-time basic salary, Employers National Insurance and Pensions Contributions.

11 Apr 2002 : Column 551W

(iii) Government Offices of the Regions

The Government Offices for the English Regions have been taking people under unsubsidised New Deal arrangements since October 2000. Since October 2000 the GOs have employed 4 people.

Young People

Lone Parents

Over 50's

1999







2000

2





2001

2





2000







1 The average cost per placement was £17,045 (which is made up of basic salary and employers NI).

Rebo

Criminal Damage

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last four years. [44843]

Mr. Leslie:
Figures requested are as follows:

£

199899

1,600

19992000

2,000

200001

1,100

200102

1,000

1 There has been no lasting damage done to the fabric of any of the department's buildings.

Job No: CW0126 Folios: 000-000

Operator: Operator Number 3. Date: 11/04/02

Performance Targets

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what new initiatives his Department has taken in 200102 to assist in achieving its Public Service Agreement targets.[47183]

Mr. Leslie:
Progress on/against PSA targets will be reported and published in the Cabinet Office's annual Departmental Report for 2002.

Special Advisers

Mr. Burns:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many special advisers there were in his Department; and what their salaries were in each of the last five years.[46944]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State:
At 9 April 2002, there were four special advisers in my office, including two part-timers.

On salaries, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 April, Official Report, column 11W.

Ministerial Travel

Mr. Burns:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times Ministers in his Department have travelled abroad at taxpayers' expense since March 200l; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was. [47100]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State:
Since 1999 this Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet

11 Apr 2002 : Column 552W

Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. The 1999 list contained information on all such visits undertaken from 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999. Details for travel undertaken in the period 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 will be published as soon as possible after the end of the current financial year.

All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.